Hi and welcome to my blog. Please allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Heather Matthews, and I've been researching my family history for 18 years. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland (2008), and am close to completing a certificate in Genealogical Studies from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. I'm a married stay-at-home mother of preschool-age twins, a boy and girl, and we have two senior rescue dogs. Once the  kids are in bed for the night, I usually settle down and work on some aspect of genealogy, including courses for my Genealogical Studies certificate, organizing my files, or online research. My life is nothing short of exciting. ;)

I discovered my interest in genealogy and family history as a teenager. My family had recently been reunited with a biological relative who had been adopted at birth, and my father was telling him various stories and showing him old family homes, gravesites, and other relevant information when I remember wondering why I didn't know some of that already. So I started asking questions, and discovered that my father had done quite a bit of research himself, including (thankfully) interviewing (and taking notes) some older relatives in the late 1970s and 80s. My research wouldn't be as extensive or complete as it is, if it weren't for the information from Dad and his mother. Nan has provided me with many valuable stories, photos, letters, postcards, and other items, and has always been one of my biggest supporters, always excited to hear about any new discoveries, whether they're on her side of the family or not.

So why Island Genealogy? Well, I live in Newfoundland, an island in the North Atlantic on Canada's east coast, and my maternal line traces back over 200 years on Newfoundland's south and southwest coasts, as well as Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island, two other islands on Canada's east coast. My paternal line is from England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. My husband's family likewise can trace back over 200 years in Newfoundland (and Labrador), as well as the United Kingdom. So my husband and I both come from a long line of islanders from various islands. My research is focused on these various islands on both sides of the Atlantic, so Island Genealogy seemed appropriate! :)

Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for upcoming entries!